Simon Belcher took his Masters Cup podium tally into double figures during the latest outing of the Renault UK Clio Cup season at Snetterton 300 Circuit in Norfolk over the weekend, 3rd/4th August, with a brace of second in class finishes in rounds 11 and 12 of the campaign.Going into the sixth race meeting of the championship with a 15-point lead in the Masters Cup, the defending title winner departed the East Anglian track an enhanced 23 points clear at the top of the class standings thanks to his ninth and 10th podiumsdespite a less than straightforward weekend.Having been bitterly disappointed to qualify 19th overall, albeit second in the Masters class, for the first race of the weekend, the Handy Motorsport with Pyro driver made a good initial getaway but was boxed-in by the pack on the inside and slipped to fourth in class.Focused on regaining the lost ground, Belchers hopes were then hit on lap three by a slow puncture which seriously impacted his lap times and got progressively worse. Determined to secure the best result possible by staying out on track, rather than losing a bigger chunk of time pitting for a fresh tyre, the Swindon racer continued and managed to bring his Clio home second in class, 19th overall.We didnt do a good job in qualifying, I was really disappointed with itits where your weekend is set up so we had a hard task, said the 39-year-old, I made a good start to race one, but then got boxed-in, and the right-rear puncture slowed us by about a second a lap, each lap, all the way to the end. We still managed to pick up second in class, though, which was really important for the points.Beginning Sundays encounter from second in class again, 18th on the overall grid, Belcher made an excellent launch but had to take swift action to avoid a car ahead which didnt get away from the line. Darting to the outside, the KRCHER and No Fear Energy-backed driver remained there all the way around the first turn, Riches, and picked up a huge number of placesclimbing into the top 10.At the hairpin, though, Devon Modells Clio was sent into a spin and as Belcher arrived on the scene he elected to go to the outside in avoidance. Unfortunately for him, so did Masters Cup rival Lee Pattison which left Belcher with nowhere to go other than across the grass.

Then faced with more chaos around the next turn, which resulted in the reigning Masters Cup Champion almost coming to a total standstill, when things settled down he was fourth in class and a long way off the next group of cars. Chipping away at the gap, he caught and passed Graham Field on lap six to take third in class and then grabbed second a couple of laps from the finish, 17th overall.I had a flying start to race two, he explained, I kept it nailed around the outside and we were well up into the top 10, probably about seventh or eighth, by the second corner where a guy in front got spun round. There was room for me on the outside but Lee [Pattison] went there too, there wasnt room for both of us and I ended up on the grass.At the next corner there were cars all over the track, I had to check-up and almost come to a complete stop so at that point we were a long way down and fourth in class. You never give up though in motorsport, just keep going and hope things come back to you, which they did. We got second in class again which is great, picking up these results is all we need right now.There is now a six week break for the Renault UK Clio Cup with the penultimate event of the season, rounds 13 and 14, taking place on 14th/15th September at Rockingham in Northamptonshire.Provisional 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup Masters Cup Standings (after Rd12):1st Simon Belcher, 307ptsProvisional 2013 Renault UK Clio Cup Driver Standings (after Rd12):18th Simon Belcher, 61pts